Q:
What is the Orchid Conservation Coalition?A: The Orchid Conservation Coalition is a grassroots
organization in every aspect of the term. It is made up of any people,
organizations, and businesses that want to participate. Membership is
by participation. In the beginning the Orchid Conservation Coalition
was made up of a small group of people working on what could be done to
promote orchid conservation.

Q:
What does the Orchid Conservation Coalition do?A: Through education, networking, and programs like
the 1% for
Orchid Conservation (1%FOC), the mission of the Orchid Conservation
Coalition is to raise money and awareness for orchid conservation. An
important part of the 1%FOC program is networking between societies,
businesses, and non-profit orchid conservation organizations. In
building a network with 1%FOC program it is hoped we can use the
network to help launch other programs that would be useful in
sustaining both in situ and ex situ orchid conservation.

Q:
Why should our society or business join the 1% for Orchid Conservation
program? Our society or business already donates money to orchid
conservation, such as through the AOS.A: By joining 1%FOC you help encourage other
societies and
businesses to consider giving and participating in orchid conservation.
It is with a collective effort that we will do the most good. The 1%FOC
program goal is to build an effective network where societies and
businesses that want to donate money towards orchid conservation can be
made aware of orchid conservation organizations and projects that can
use that money. If your society or business already regularly donates
to orchid conservation then those donations can be counted toward your
1%FOC commitment. Share the information on the Orchid Conservation
Coalition website so that other societies and businesses wanting to
donate money to a good conservation cause will be made aware of the
opportunities to help.

Q:
Does the Orchid Conservation Coalition take any money under 1% for
Orchid Conservation program and redistribute it to orchid conservation
organizations?A: No. It will be up to participating societies and
business to
determine where to donate their money. We will maintain a list of
nonprofit orchid conservation organizations or projects that fit the
criteria set forth by 1 %FOC.

Q:
Are there any administrative fees?A: At this present time there are no administrative
fees. It is
possible that in the future there may have to be an administrative fee.
Currently the small overhead of maintaining the website is done by
donations, and time is all volunteered. If there is to be
administrative fee in the future it would be used to cover grant
tracking, certifying the 1% FOC mark, screening nonprofit orchid
conservation organizations, maintaining and updating the website,
providing advice and guidance on environmental issues and
organizations, and generating and disseminating public relations
materials and news releases. As business get involved in 1%FOC there
would be a need for an ongoing promotional campaign to get customers to
shop at businesses participating in the 1% FOC program. 1% FOC plans on
keeping its overhead low, and its expenses to a minimum.

Q:
Why 1% of net revenue?A: The amount 1% of net revenue was chosen because
this is a
‘hard’ number as opposed to "profits," which can
vary
enormously depending the costs of an organization or business. 1% of
net revenue is a much more transparent and meaningful number that
businesses and customers can relate to. We recognize that 1% of net
revenue is a significant amount of money to donate, especially for
smaller businesses. However, the negative environmental challenges we
face are enormous and this affects us all. Sources of funding from
government agencies and private foundations are decreasing, even while
these environmental problems mount. If the private sector
doesn’t
respond to these needs, who will? Part of the 1% FOC contribution can
also be made as in-kind support (that is, donated products or
services). Since this is a charitable donation, your 1% contribution is
tax deductible which is a financial advantage.Double click for the
definition of net revenue in the licensing agreement. Note: The concept
of 1% of net revenue was taken from 1% for the
Planet.

Q: Our orchid society is not very big, and 1% of our
net revenue would amount to $10.00 or less. How can we participate?A: Every bit of participation is important. It is
the pooling
together of donations that will help make an impact on the conservation
of orchids. A society can donate to a non-profit organization like the
Orchid Conservation Alliance that will pool the contributions together,
research and approve grants, and disseminate the money. You can also
donate more than 1% of net revenue.

Q: How will it be known that a commitment of donation
is honored?A: The 1%FOC program is voluntary. If a society or
business does
not participate fully with their 1% commitment toward orchid
conservation, we ask that they do not use the mark. Orchid societies
don’t have anything to gain by saying they are participating
but
don’t. For businesses, enforcement is also currently on the
honor
system, but since businesses will also reap the benefits of promotion
there may need to be a verification process in the future. This would
be partly what an administration fee would address. The Orchid
Conservation Coalition is not a top down organization, and orchid
societies that feel there may be a violation by a business should
question it. A business using the 1% FOC mark without participating in
the program would be undermining the goals of the program and honest
businesses that are participating. Business verification in the future
is an open question. The Orchid Conservation Coalition may in the
future have to take on a verification program similar to 1% for the
Planet, or join and become part of 1% for the Planet.

Orchid Conservation Coalition does however want to track donations,
progress, and results of orchid conservation projects. Individual total
amounts donated by societies and business will not be given out, but a
running grand total of all will be published on the website. The
website will also list all societies and businesses participating.

Q: Why the need for a criteria defining orchid
conservation
contributions to fulfill the obligation of 1% for Orchid Conservation?A: Societies and businesses contribute money to many
worthwhile
causes such as scholarships, horticultural libraries, conservatories, Orchidmania,
and hopefully they will continue to do so. By defining what constitutes
an in situ orchid conservation contribution, everyone is on the same
page. The focus of this 1% budgeted contribution will be directed for
the purpose of helping to preserve orchids in situ for the future.
Hopefully tangible results will follow.